NME Festival blog: The story of Bestival 2017

Bestival 2017 is well underway, with The XX commanding a huge headline slot on the Castle Stage last night.

The rain might have been relentless, but it hasn’t stopped festival goers from heading out to explore Bestival’s new Dorset home for the first time ever.

Here’s the story of the festival in glorious photos.

Check back at NME for the latest photos, news, interviews and more from Bestival 2017.

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Image credit: Jenn Five

It’s the first time that Bestival has taken place in Dorset, and it’s looking as colourful as ever

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Image credit: Jenn Five

A beacon of positivity in these dark times, Happy Kanye is Bestival’s latest collaboration with Hungry Castle & Cool Shit. The inflatable masterpiece stands over seven metres tall, and revellers can even clamber inside the rainbow sculpture.

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Image credit: Jenn Five

Ray BLK kicked off proceedings with a storming set on the Temple Stage on Thursday evening

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Image credit: Jenn Five

Ray BLK tore up the Temple Stage as part of Annie Mac’s takeover on Thursday evening. The Temple stage is a new addition to the festival, and Rob da Bank told NME: “This is a huge electronic stage, with everyone from Jackmaster to Dusky to Annie Mac on there, and it’s a huge show piece stage. There’ll be big elephant carvings and huge pyro at night.”

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Bestival’s known for it’s wacky world records – like the world’s biggest bouncy castle and their accolade for the most peope in fancy dress at one event, so this year they’ve not dissapointed and we’ve been gifted with the world’s biggest confetti cannon – which goes off twice a night.

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Image credit: Jenn Five

Along with the world’s biggest confetti cannon, Bestival just so happens to boast the world’s biggest disco ball. They don’t do things by halves.

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Image credit: Jenn Five

Blossoms brought the party to Bestival on Thursday evening as they opened The Box Stage